Reports: NSCN-K may split, sign ceasefire with Govt of India for peace talks

A report in Zee News is quoting intelligence sources that the NSCN Khaplang group may split and sign a ceasefire pact with the Government of India.

The report written by Manish Shukla, Senior Special Correspondent of Zee News, has even gone to the extent of disclosing that 300 cadres led by Gen Nikki Sumi, Deputy Chief of Army of NSCN-K is camping in a jungle to sign a ceasefire agreement with the Government of India.

Manish Shukla who often reports on defence, security and intelligence agencies points out in his report that “members of the NSCN- K faction are not happy with the recent impeachment of its chairman Khango Konyak” and that this has led to a “complete separation in the outfit between Indian and Myanmar origin leaders”.

“A possible split in the SS Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) on the lines of nationality has brightened the hopes for an early settlement to the vexed Naga problem and a lasting peace in the Northeast region”, states the report in Zee News.

“The development has brightened the prospect of the NSCN-K – the only left out Naga faction – also coming to the negotiation table for talks with the Government of India”.

It may be recalled that the NSCN-K impeached its chairman Khango Konyak on August 17. The outfit has replaced him with 45-year-old Yung Aung as the new acting chairman.

Khango belongs to a Naga tribe based in India while Aung, who is also the nephew of NSCN-K founder the late SS Khaplang, is a Hemi Naga from Myanmar.

The Senior Special Correspondent of Zee News has quoted reports coming from the Northeast claiming that more than 300 NSCN-K insurgents are camping at an unknown location and are keen to sign a ceasefire agreement with India.

The NSCN-K and other insurgent group had launched a series of attack on the Indian Army. The deadliest of them was an ambush on an Indian Army convoy in Manipur’s Chandel district that killed 18 jawans. Soon after this attack, the Indian Army’s Special Forces launched Surgical Strikes against them near the Manipur and Myanmar border.

“Due to ongoing operation by Myanmar Army against the insurgent groups including NSCN-K inside bordering area of India and Myanmar and a vicious power struggle has troubled the faction for some time now,” a security official had told Zee News on the condition of anonymity.

The NSCN-K held an emergency meeting on August 17 during which it impeached Khango Konyak and elected Yung Aung as the new acting chairman of the outfit. The emergency meeting also decided to give Khango a safe passage to go wherever he desired.

The Zee News report further reveals that “communication between the members of the outfit had revealed that the Khango faction is unhappy with the removal of Khango Konyak from the post of Chairman”.

“Many insurgents from NSCN-K are camping in jungles near Nagaland and Myanmar border and have made plans to revolt against Yung Aung, the new chairman of the outfit”, the report in Zee News states.

According to the Zee News, “some other reports suggest that top leaders of NSCN-K along with 300 cadres led by Gen Nikki Sumi, Deputy Chief of Army of NSCN-K, may defect from the group and agree to sign a ceasefire agreement with the Government of India”.

The Zee News reports that the Myanmar Army led by a Brigadier-rank officer, has recently escalated its operations against the NSCN-K faction in the areas controlled by them in the Myanmar Naga hills.

The Myanmar Army is also deploying more men in areas controlled by NSCN-K GHQ and ULFA GHQ in Konyak region, according to the Zee News.

“Some reports suggest that the Myanmar Army is destroying NSCN-K camps and video recordings the events as proof of their action. This has led to fear among NSCN-K members and they have shifted their camps to a safe location”, the Zee News states.

“The fight between the Indian origin insurgents and Burmese insurgents in NSCN-K is clearly visible. The fate of Indian insurgents will no longer dominate the outfit. Indian security forces are certainly in a dominating position and that is the real reason why the Indian faction of the NSCN-K is looking for a peace deal with the Government of India,” a top intelligence official has claimed, according to the Zee News report.

It may be recalled that the NSCN-K had unilaterally ended the ceasefire with the Indian government in 2015.